IEC welcomes rejection of president’s decree on electoral reforms

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has welcomed the decision of parliament for refusing to approve the president’s legislative decree on electoral reforms.

IEC announced of selecting a new chairman for the commission in the near future.

“Holding election seems very unlikely this year, but we will select the chairman of IEC in a internal election and then we will get ready to set the time of the upcoming election,” Aziz Bakhtyari, IEC commissioner said.

However, the presidential palace considered the rejection of president’s decree a meaningless delay for the electoral reforms.

President’s spokesman says that the National Unity Government (NUG) stands by its commitments for reforming the electoral system and the process will be tracked soon.

“In the light of the recent decision by the parliament, the government will continue efforts for holding the national councils and provincial councils elections. So it will follow the electoral process after forensic analysis and consultation with relevant agencies, political parties and civil institutions,” Muhammad Haroon Chakhansoori, president’s spokesman said.

The executive office has yet not reacted regarding this issue, but one day before the rejection of president’s decree, it warned of holding no election before reforming the electoral system.

The National Unity Government agreement is quite clear that “to ensure that future elections are fully credible, the electoral system (laws and institutions) requires fundamental changes” and “that the objective is to implement electoral reform before the parliamentary elections.”

It does not however spell out what these reforms should entail, other than that the president will appoint a special commission who will report to the CEO.

President Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah, in the September 2014 agreement, agreed to electoral reforms “to ensure that future elections are credible.”